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BERTRAND & SAMES.

' Wheel-Cultivator;

Patented Jan 1, 1867.

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Letters Patent No. 60,916, dated January 1, 1867.

IMPROVEMENT IN GULTIVATORS.

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TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that we, THEOPHILUS F. Bnnrnnnn and PnrnaSAMns, both of Rockford, in the countyof Winnebago, and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Cultivators and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction-and operation of the same, reference being had to the-annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, in whioh- Figure 1 represents a side elevation of our cultivator.

Figure 2, a plan viewof the same; and

Figure 3, a section through the double standard block,

It is the object of our invention to simplify the cultivator and-render it susceptible of easy adjustment to various crops and varying modes of cultivation; to which end our invention consists, first, in so combining a tongue and axle as that they alone shall constitute the main frame; second, in combining with the tongue at single cross-piec to support the levers by which the auxiliary frame is elevated or depressed, or retained in position third, in combining two spring bolts with the supporting levers, and two ratchet standards with the axle, in such a manner that the driver can at'pleasure vary the depth of furrow on either side of the tongue independently; fourth, in the combination of an auxiliary. frame with the tongue,-andwitl1 an arched couplingbar, so that the auxiliary frame is free to vibrate on its hinged coupling, and the wiclth of ploughing can be adjusted on the arched bar; fifth, in hinging the auxiliary frame. to the tongue, between the evener and neckyoke, to increase the length of beamand obtain more purchase in the tide motion; sixth, in the adjustable support for the drivers feet combined with the auxiliary frame; seventh, in the eye-bolt, which admitsa vertical adjustment of the standzi-rd, and permits it to move baclg' ivhen its wooden connecting pin-is broken, without injury to the plough; eighth, in the combination of the double eye-bolted standard block with the auxiliary frame, so that the standands can be vertically adjusted and swing free when encountering a rigid obstruction.

Tivo carrying-Wheels, A and B, support a bent axle, O, to which, upon-a raised bracket, a, the tongue 1) is rigidlysecured an-d centrally stayed by brace-rods 1 and 2. These parts alone constitute the main frame of our cultivator. The tongue D projects far enough beyond the axle C to support, on its rear end, a properlyplaced drivers seat, 6; and the tongue may be flexible or rigid, and consist of oneor more pieces. Near each end of the axle standards cand care secured, which carry friction-rollers in ,mortises at their top; and upon the aXle two curved raclcbars, d and cl, are fastened near the standards 0 and c. In front of the axle, and upon either the upper or lower side of the tongue, a crosspiece, E, is securely fastened, having its ends; turned up, and connected by brace-rods, 3 and 4, to the upperends of the segment racks cl and cl the segment racks being secured to the'standards by rods 5 and 6'; thus the standards and segments are rendered rigid, and are secured in a'vertical position upon the axle. Upon the turned-up ends of the cross-piece E are pivoted levers, F and F, which are mortised to receive the rack-bars,.upon which the levers haven free vertical movement; but the lovers can be fixed by spring bolts, which enter between the teeth of the rack, and the bolt can be withdrawn, when the lever is to be depressed-or raised, by the hand of the driver; a short handle, e, being pivoted on each lever close to its handle, and the short handle a being connected to the spring-catch by its draw-rod. Caps, f and j", over the springs, serve to protect them against becoming injured or clogged with dirt. Chains or cords are attached to the upper sides of the levers, and are passed over the friction-rollers i-u the'standards c and c, aud'are connected by rods, 7 and 8, with the auxiliary frame; and this arrangement enables the driver to raise either lever independently of the other, or both together; thus he can regulate the depthof lurro'w at will while passing over uneven ground. I The auxiliary frame is composed of two beams, H and E, that are either pivoted or rigidly fastened to a collar or yoke, G, which is fastcned tc the tongue by a staple that leaves the frame free vto vibrate. The beams H and H pass far enough behind the axle to receive one or more ploughs or cultivator teeth on each beam, and the beams are spread apart the distance best adapted totho work required of the cultivator, and they are connected together by an arched coupling-bar, K; the bar and beams being fastened together by. screw staples, h, as shown in fig. 1 in preference to passing screw-bolts or pins through the beams. To adjust the ploughstransversely to adapt the cultivator to different crops, it is only necessary to looserithe staples, shift the beams upon the arched bar, and tighten the staples again. v The eudsof the arched coupling-banproject beyond the outside of the beams far enough to admit of the rods 7 and S prt'ssing through" sum 2 holes in the bar, where the rods are so secured as that, when the levers F andF' are depressed, the ploughs will be-raised'eut of the ground, and the rear portion of the auxiliary frame will be supported by the axle, and the front part of the frame will be eupportcd'by the tongue; but when the lovers are raised the frame can be depressed to any distance necessary for the ploughs to enter the ground.- The extent of this adjustability is such that at times the driver would be incommoded for want of a proper support for his feet. Tall and short persons also require footasupportsof difl'erent'hcights. To obviate these objections to one fixed foot-support we haveinvented an adjustable shoethat can be raised as the auxiliary frame is lowered, which will also accommodate drivers of difi'crent heights. Ratchet bars, L, are fastened in.any proper manner to the beam in such relation to the, drivers seat as is most convenient for the driver, one being shown at fig. 1, where a metal shoe, M, has a box atfits heel that fits neatly on thc'bar, to which the shoe is held bya wedge, 9, placed between the rear of the box and the bar, the front of the box being provided with one or more projections that can be made to fit in the notches of the ratchet bar, and of course, whenthe wedge is raised, the shoe can be shifted or raised from one notch of the bar to another until the shoe is at the proper heightto support the driver's feet, who isvthus enabled to ride at ease, and measurably control the side movement of the ploughs. The ploughs or cultivator teeth are secured .to the bottom of standards, 0, while-the upper ends of the standards pass through an eye, P, swivelled in a. socket or double-block, (.3, secured to the beam of the auxiliary frame. Each standard carries a link or ring, 1', secured bya staple in rear of the standard, and the link or ring 2' is coupled to a stayrod, k, by a wooden pin, the forward end of the rod beingsecured -to the bearnof theauxiliary frame. The upper end of the standard Oslides up and "down in the eye P, and can of course be secured at any height desired. The eye P has a shank, 1:), that passes through the socket Q and the beam, audis secured by a nut, :17, thus forming a double block, and the eye, whilst permitting a vertical movement to the standard, is capable at the sametime of rotating in its socket, and then, when the plough encounters a rigid obstruction, the wooden pin, which couples the ring or link with its brace-rod, breaks, and the standard is free to move back, and thus the plough remains uninjured. The standard thus secured obviously will permit the plough to be turned at :any angle desired for throwing the land either to or from the crop; will enable the plough to be held at any height from the ground to regulate the depth of ploughing, and at the s'ame'time will permit the plough to encounter a rigid obstruction without beingbrokem-while the easy, but limited side movement of the auxiliary frame enables the driver measurably to so control its action as to cultivate with safety these crops which have been irre 'ularl lautcd, or which ma have co'mou in other' than strai ht lines. From its reat mobilit u y P y .P I: g y

our cultivator performs a variety of work effectively, and with great ease to the team and the driver.

What we claim as our invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, substantially as described, of the tongue with the axle, arranged as set forth, for the purpose specified.

2. The combination with the tongue of the single cross-piece E, so arranged as that it shall serveas a brace for the segment, and a. fulcrum for the lovers that control the auxiliary frame.

3. The combination of two spring belts with two supporting levers and two ratchets, and'with the axle, arranged and operating substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. The combination of the rigid frame with the auxiliaryframe, when the former is hinged to the latter, substantially in the manner and for the purpose described.

5. The combination of the auxiliary frame with the tongue, when the former is hinged to the latter, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

6. The combination of an adjhstable support for the drivers feet with the auxiliary frame, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

7'. The swivcllcd eye-bolt or double block, constructed, arranged, and operating substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

8. The combination of the eye-bolt and standard with the beam of the auxiliary frame, subtantially as and For the purpose set forth. i i

In testimony whereof we have hereunto subscribed our names.

T. F. BERTRAND,

PETER SAMES. 'Witnesses'.

Dnncnn FERGUSON, MAncUs S; PARMELE. 

